Rumour Has It International Premiere
Following standing ovations across the country including acclaimed seasons at Sydney Opera House, Hamer Hall and Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Australia’s homegrown runaway cabaret sensation Rumour Has It makes its international debut next month.
Starring Australian stage siren Naomi Price (Ladies In Black; The Voice Australia 2015), Rumour Has It charts the incredible rise of THE blockbuster soul sensation of the modern age live on stage in story and song, with all the upfront British wit and heart-stopping tunes that have made Adele the highest-selling recording artist of the 21st Century.
The six show run at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre 21-25 September marks a new milestone for Price and co-writer Adam Brunes, who created the show in Price’s living room back in 2012.
“It’s a genuine bucket-list moment,” Price said of the show’s international debut. “Since its premiere for 70 people at the Brisbane Cabaret Festival in 2012, our little show has enjoyed meteoric success and delivered countless dream-come-true moments for me and the team.”
Over the past four years, Price and the original company have toured the country, taking in some of Australia’s most iconic venues and festivals.
“Last week we clocked our 50th performance of the show at the iconic Hamer Hall in Melbourne,” Price said.
“Walking through the halls was such a surreal moment as a performer. Some of the biggest names in theatre and music have played that very stage; icons like Tom Jones, Cyndi Lauper, Pavarotti, Elaine Paige, Diana Krall, Michael Buble, Ronan Keating, Macy Gray, Lea Salonga… The list goes on. To be in the company of such legends was a moment I’ll never forget.”
Best known to television audiences as Ricky Martin’s leading lady on The Voice Australia 2015, Price also has extensive live theatre experience including new Australian works The Tragedy of King Richard III (La Boite Theatre Company), Gloria (Queensland Theatre Company), Wrecking Ball (The Little Red Company), and Ladies in Black (Queensland Theatre Company/Melbourne Theatre Company), which this year earned Price a Matilda Award for Best Supporting Actress and the show a Helpmann Award for Best New Australian Work.
But it’s transforming into London tearaway Adele that Price feels most at home.
“I liken performing as Adele to putting on your favourite pair of jeans: it’s tried and tested and in it I feel like I can conquer the world,” Price said. “We like to play with giving people what they want from an Adele show, but also delivering things they would never expect. We’re very excited to see how our Adele fares on the international stage!”
Rumour Has It has enjoyed meteoric success since its premiere as a 15-minute stand-up set in 2012, winning the coveted Matilda Award for Best Musical or Cabaret and cementing Price’s position as one of Australia’s most charming leading ladies.
“We’re absolutely thrilled that audiences have fallen in love with this show,” Price said.
“What started out as a laugh over wine between two friends has developed and matured into a world-class piece of theatre that we are exceptionally proud of. We’ve played some of the most iconic venues and companies in the country, including Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Queensland Theatre Company and now Malaysia. And it feels like this is just the beginning.”
Rumour Has It plays Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, Malaysia, 21-25 September 2016, presented by Milestone Entertainment.
Image by Mark Cranitch.